


I Want Your Midnights

by secretswekeepxx



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Smut, Lawyer Harry, M/M, New York City, Security Guard Louis, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 11:02:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12957807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretswekeepxx/pseuds/secretswekeepxx
Summary: Louis had started to make his way down the dark hallway, only the dim emergency lights guiding his way when he noticed there was still one office fully lit. Directly across from him in the West Building.Or Louis is the Night Security, and there’s a man working late nights in the building across the way that he just can’t stop wondering about.





	I Want Your Midnights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [harrygotthebee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrygotthebee/gifts).



> This was written for harrygotthebee, thank you for giving me such great prompts to choose from. I loved them all, but this was the one that really jumped out at me. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> Prompt: Louis works overnights at a security building downtown while he goes to school during the day. He watches the tall young man who works in the lawyer's office on the 28th floor stay later and later each night…
> 
> I’ll elaborate more once authors have been revealed, but in the meantime I’d like to thank my favorite Fortune Cookie for her Beta work and my lovely group chat family for their endless support and encouragement. I don’t think I’d be doing this anymore if it weren’t for all of you, and for that I’m forever grateful! Any additional mistakes are my own.
> 
> This is a work of complete fiction and is not meant to be shared outside of the fandom, especially not with Louis, Harry and/or any of their family, friends or colleagues. Please respect the fourth wall.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> **This fic contains mature and/or explicit adult content therefore I do not encourage or condone any person under the age of 18 to continue reading beyond this point.**

The first time Louis saw him was a Tuesday evening the last week of August. He remembers because it had been the week before classes started again. He’d been trying to walk off some nervous energy doing rounds. It was the better option to sitting at the desk with Liam and watching the security cameras.

Louis had just entered the twenty-eighth floor atrium of the East Building. Pausing to take in the view of the city below. Louis had started to make his way down the dark hallway, only the dim emergency lights guiding his way when he noticed there was still one office fully lit. Directly across from him in the West Building. Louis had stopped to check his watch. After all, it wasn’t that strange to see people in the different offices working late here and there; however, he’d yet to see anyone stay this late, well into the early hours of morning. He could see the back of the man’s head bent over a desk. He’d considered taking the elevator down the eight floors to the skybridge connecting the two buildings, of popping his head into the man’s office to check in, but inevitably decided against it. 

What was it to him anyway?

\-----

In September Louis had seen the man on floor twenty-eight a few more times, always the back of his head, bent over his desk, working away. Louis would spare a quick glance and allow himself a passing thought as to what the man might be doing so late at night again and again. 

\-----

During the month of October there were papers to write and midterms to take so Louis stayed at the security desk in the lobby and studied, watching the camera feeds flick between dark hallways and empty board rooms while Liam took over doing the buildings rounds. 

Liam never mentioned the man on floor twenty-eight and Louis never thought to ask.

\-----

While October had been crisp and warm, decorating the streets with bright foliage and sunny days. November blew in with a vengeance, in the shape of a storm from the north that delivered frigid air, howling wind and hard rain. The streets below were wet, reflecting the flickering lights of the city, and though Louis could appreciate the beauty of it he wasn’t fond of the cold air from outside working hard to penetrate the thick glass of the East Building’s windows. 

It was one of the reasons Louis already regretted his decision to swap shifts with Alex. Louis was originally scheduled to have Thanksgiving night off, but Alex has young kids and wanted to go Black Friday shopping. Louis didn’t have anything to do so he’d agreed. Of course at the time he hadn’t taken into consideration that all of his friends would be doing the Gobble Wobble bar crawl (he should have though, fucking Niall), or that he’d still be recovering from eating his weight in turkey, twice baked potatoes and candied yams. 

Yet here he is, making his way up the East Building stairwell and pushing open the door to the twenty-eighth floor. He’d found himself visiting this particular floor more and more often since the beginning of the month. At first it had just been a few sporadic evenings, but in the last week Louis had noticed the mystery man’s office has been occupied every night.

Checking in on the man has become a habit of sorts, but Louis still finds himself surprised upon entering the atrium and seeing that yet again, the office across the way is lit up bright. The occupant, as usual, sat at his desk, back facing the window and head bent in concentration. 

Louis is a curious person by nature, so the fact that he’s held off from investigating this situation further for as long as he has is a feat in and of itself; but tonight he can’t hold back any longer. He needs to know why this person is always working so late, so often, and now on a national holiday!

Louis heads down to the buildings twenth floor, making his way across the skybridge and back up another eight floors. Proud of himself for taking the stairs and walking off some of his holiday binge. 

He takes a moment to look out at the East Building to appreciate the view from a different angle, before slowly making his way down the hall toward the one strip of bright light illuminating the hallway. Making sure his footsteps can be heard in the hopes of not scaring the shit out of whoever is sitting on the other side of the door. He can hear the rustling of papers as he approache and reaches out to knock gently on the open door, before stepping into the office. 

He hears a quiet, “‘Lo?” and then he’s face to face with the man behind the desk. A really handsome and very tired looking man. 

Louis is the one who snuck up on him, so it’s a little embarrassing when he needs to shake himself out of his shocked silence and address the person sitting in front of him, looking at him expectantly. 

“Hi there,” Louis gives a sheepish smile and a small wave, “I’m um, Louis, I work over in the East Building doing the evening security.” 

The man seems a little confused at first, but shakes himself out of it, quickly standing from his desk and making is way over to Louis with an outstretched hand and a warm smile.

“So nice to meet you, Louis,” he says with a voice much deeper than Louis would have expected, he wonders idly if he only sounds like that because it’s so late at night, “M’name’s Harry, I hope it’s not been an issue for you that I’m here.” 

Louis can see Harry’s face falling a little as realization dawns on him that it could be a problem he’s staying so late.

“No, no!” he reassures quickly, “To be honest I’ve been noticing the lights on more often and my curiosity got the best of me tonight, figured I’d come and introduce myself.”

As Harry’s face melts with relief, Louis can’t help but be thankful that his need to investigate paid off so nicely. 

\-----

Two weeks later and Louis (who should be focusing on his finals) has found himself working extra hours, because, Christmas, obviously, and wanting to have some extra money to spend on gifts for his family. But also, and probably mostly because every time he finds himself working third shift security, he also finds himself spending more and more time with Harry. 

After their introductions on Thanksgiving night, the next time Louis saw Harry’s office light on he had made his way over again to pop in and say hello and Harry seemed to appreciate the company. The next night, when Louis made his way up to the 28th floor it was to see Harry standing in the window, looking out toward Louis’ building - Louis would be lying if he said that he didn’t get butterflies when Harry noticed him across the way with a smile and a wave.

It just kind of happened, Louis would go into work and sit with Liam in the lobby for the first hour of the night and then make his excuses to do his rounds. Rushing through all of the floors until he could see the glow of Harry’s bright office light, and just like a ship in the night, he’d follow that light like a beacon and arrive at Harry’s office to a warm smile like he was being welcomed home. 

The thing was, Louis kind of felt a little crazy at first, feeling so drawn to someone he barely knew. It took him at least a week before he admitted to himself that he actually had a bit of a crush on Harry. 

“Hi Louis!” came the deep rumble of Harry’s voice before he’d even rounded the door of his office. 

“Good evening, Harold!” Louis greeted back, as he walked into the room taking a seat across from Harry’s desk.

“M’name isn’t Harold, actually,” Harry answered with a chuckle, his back to Louis as he fumbled around in a cabinet above a small counter. 

“I’m going to call you it anyway if that’s alright,” Louis answers with a smirk, he’s flirting, he doesn’t care. 

“It is.” Harry says before making a triumphant ‘aha!’ sound and pulling two coffee mugs from the cabinet.

“What’re those for?” Louis asks, raising an eyebrow, and maneuvering the chair he’s in so can watch Harry. Or rather, Harry’s backside, but details.

“I’m making us a midnight snack,” Harry answers matter of factly as he pulls out a couple of packets of cocoa and flips on his Keurig machine.

Louis watches in comfortable silence as Harry busies himself fixing their drinks. He wonders if he should maybe feel a little guilty, sharing a hot beverage with a hot man, while Liam’s still down in the lobby, probably trying not to die of boredom. The thought passes quickly, when Harry turns around, proudly holding up the steaming mugs before handing Louis his.

“Thank you,” Louis hums taking a moment to blow on the hot liquid before he even considers putting it near his mouth. He looks up through his lashes, feeling Harry’s eyes on him, and that’s when he notices that the mug Harry is holding has a rainbow on it. 

Oh. 

Louis lowers his cup and looks up at Harry fully, wanting to make sure his message is sincere and clear when he says, “I really love your mug.” 

The brightness of Harry’s smile was all the answer Louis needed to the unspoken question.

So yeah, Louis had a crush. 

\-----

In the weeks that Louis’ gotten to know Harry, he can’t help but like him more and more. A self proclaimed mama's boy whose best friend is his older sister. Lover of the Green Bay Packers even though he grew up in the suburbs of Patriots Nation, but ‘Fuck the Yankees Louis, they can choke. Except for Jeter, he’s cool.’ Has degrees in philosophy and economics but decided that what he really wants is to be was a lawyer. So in the meantime he’s working part time as a paralegal for the Offices of Corden and Winston while taking courses for law school - and if that wasn’t impressive enough, Louis’ also just learned the reason he’s been working so late.

“So, not to say I don’t enjoy your company lately,” Louis starts around a sip of the mint cocoa Harry had waiting for him (in a matching rainbow mug) tonight, “but why exactly are you here so late?”

Harry’s quiet for a moment as he moves a few papers around his desk absently before looking back up at Louis, with a soft smile and slight blush.

“Ehm - actually I’ve been doing research for a case that James, well, Mr. Corden took on pro bono. But between my classes and caseload for work I haven’t had a lot of time to commit to it during my regular hours. I got permission to come in and use the office during the evenings to work on it.” 

“So you’re spending your nights off coming into work so you can do research for a charity case your boss is supposed to be working on?” Louis asks in surprise.

He watches as Harry’s blush deepens, while he sputters out an answer, “I mean, James is working on it too!” he rushes out, “it’s just this case got to me, and I want it to work out...plus, James has a wife and kids, right now I can afford to donate some of my free time to help people.” 

“That’s really wonderful. You’re a really good person Harry.” Louis says sincerely, trying to hide his awe behind a sip of his drink.

“I just think it’s really important to treat people with kindness. Be the change you want to see in the world.”  
Louis’ a little bit in love with him. He hopes it’s not written all over his face. He knows it probably is.

\-----

Christmas Eve came and went quickly. Louis spent the day and most of the evening with his family. Decorating gingerbread men and helping his youngest siblings leave treats for Santa and his reindeer before he made his way into the city for his shift. Both Alex and Liam had offered to take the shift since it was Louis’ birthday, but he’d declined when Harry had mentioned that he was going to be around that night.

Louis still couldn’t have been more surprised when he walked into Harry’s office as had become part of his routine only to find that the lights had been dimmed and instead of Harry waiting with a steaming cup of coffee it was holding a small cake with sparkling candles.

Harry chuckled as he moved toward Louis with the cake, “Little birdy told me it was your birthday today. Make a wish.”

Closing his eyes and blowing out all of the candles in one big breath, he’s never hoped a wish would come true as much as he does right now.

“Thank you, Harry.”

\-----

It had taken begging, bribery and the threat of bodily harm for Louis to agree to take Christmas off and go out with his friends.

“You work all the time lately Tommo!” Niall had whined, “Plus everyone is home, we haven’t all been together since the summer.”

“He has a point.” Liam had chimed in. Louis wanted to smash their heads together. He’d already had a headache and hadn’t even started drinking yet. 

Harry hadn’t mentioned anything about working tonight, Louis hoped he wasn’t - that he’d made it home to Boston to be with his family and was doing something wicked fun...like playing Scrabble, which apparently he loves. The beautiful fucking weirdo.

It occurs to Louis in that moment that he’s never actually talked to Harry outside of his office. For someone he’s begun to look forward to seeing every day, he’s sure done a real shitty job of asking for his number. He just needed to make sure that Harry wasn’t in the office all by himself on Christmas.

“Hey Liam, would you mind swinging by work quick before we head to the bar?” Louis asks before he even realizes what he’s doing.

“What! Why?” Niall groans, throwing himself dramatically across the back seat. Louis chooses to ignore him, shouldn’t encourage bad behavior with a reaction. 

“I forgot something last night?” Louis answers shortly.

“What?” Liam asks taking his eyes off the road for a moment to look at Louis.

Shit. He hadn’t thought this through. 

“Um, my license.”

Neither of them look impressed as Liam maneuvers his car through the city, Louis can feel his back pocket burning where he knows his license is tucked safely away.

When Liam pulls the car up to the curb Louis jumps out and and keys his code in on the door in order to access the lobby. 

It’s Alex behind the desk tonight.

“Oh hey!” he says, startling from behind the wall of surveillance screens, “everything okay? I wasn’t expecting you tonight?”

“Fine, fine,” Louis answers distractedly, “have you seen my wallet?” he asks, distractedly as he pretends to look around the desk area.

“I haven’t man, sorry.” Alex says, “but, I do have something else for you.” 

That catches Louis’ attention, as he looks up at Alex, an eyebrow quirked in question, as Alex hands him a small envelope with his name on it. 

“Enjoy your night Lou,” Alex says with a smile and a wave, “oh, and good luck with your wallet.” Winking before he disappears again behind the security counter.

Louis tears open the envelope and quickly scans the page as he slowly makes his way back out toward the car. 

Louis,

Hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family. I’ll be in Boston for most of the week. See you soon.  
-Harry

 

That answers that question then. 

\-----

During the few evenings following Christmas, Harry’s office in the West building remains dark. Louis is equally happy that Harry isn’t in the office working late nights and hopefully enjoying some much needed time with his family. 

On the other hand, he can’t help but he disappointed that he hasn’t seen him in almost a week, and has no way to get in touch with him. Something he intends to remedy immediately the next time he sees him. 

“Lou, you absolutely are not working New Years Eve.” Liam says firmly that Saturday, crossing Louis name off of the schedule for the following night. “You’ve worked almost every day this month.” 

Louis opens his mouth to protest, but snaps it shut when he realizes that not only is Liam right, but the only reason he’d put himself on the schedule was because he was secretly hoping that Harry would be around. Considering Harry hasn’t been around all week it’s a lot more likely that he’ll be staying in Boston until after the New Year. 

So instead of arguing for the sake of arguing he graciously accepts Liam’s offer to take him off the schedule. 

“You can go ahead and put me on for the night.” Alex says over Liam’s shoulder as he throws his belongings on the counter.

“Oh!” Liam looks up surprised, “I figured you’d want to be home with your family for the night.”

“Nah,” Alex shrugs with a smirk, “everyone in my house is in bed by nine and I have a baby is who is refusing to sleep in his crib…” he shrugs again, “at least I can watch YouTube in peace here.” 

“I’m sorry about your son and the crib, but this is great news for me!” Liam claps his hands in excitement, erasing his name off the schedule as well before adding Alex’s and looking at Louis expectantly. “Niall’s going to be stoked we can all go out again!”

“Yeah,” Louis responds with as much excitement as he can muster. 

“Maybe we can actually find you someone this time,” Liam drones on obvious to Louis’ eye roll. “When’s the last time you hooked up anyway?” Liam asks standing up and grabbing his coat with one hand while texting (probably Niall) with the other. 

Louis can feel himself cringe and is glad that Liam’s preoccupied by his phone, though it doesn’t go missed by Alex, who levels him with a knowing look over Liam’s shoulder. Louis just shrugs, nothing he can do about it right now anyway. Also, Liam has a big mouth and he’s not ready to say anything to his friends about Harry or his crush until he’s had a chance to talk to Harry...about his...crush. 

\-----

“What’s your deal lately?” 

Louis jumps a little as the reflection of his sister Lottie appears behind him as he continues to attempt to style his hair in the mirror.

“What deal?” He asks distractedly, turning sideways to check out his ass in the jeans he’s put on as Lottie pushes past him and hosts herself onto the bathroom counter so they’re face to face. 

“You’re just being kind of weird.” She shrugs as she takes Louis’ pomade from him and takes over styling his hair for him. Lottie is clearly digging, and he can practically smell his mother behind it, but it doesn’t stop him from closing his eyes and allowing his sister to help him look somewhat presentable for the evening.

They’re both quiet for a while, as he finds himself in the same predicament as he’d been in with Liam’s line of questioning. He just doesn’t see the point in elaborating on something that he himself isn’t even sure about at the moment. 

He can hear his phone vibrating on the bathroom counter, likely texts from Liam and Niall about the finalized plans for the evening.

“Lottie, can you just check my phone and ask Liam or Niall what time I need to meet them?” 

“Open your eyes and check for yourself.” his sister quips, both hands still occupied with his hair. 

“What’s your deal lately.” he mimics with a sneer as he opens his eyes to grab his phone. Already prepared for the bombardment of messages he’s been trying to avoid. Only to be surprised when he sees that the messages are from Alex.

Alex (7:04): Hey man, sorry to bother you on your night off...I just wanted to let you know that I just did rounds and couldn’t help but notice that a certain office on the 28th Floor was lit up tonight.  
Alex (7:10): Okay, so it’s none of my business, but he’s definitely looking out the window toward our building and I think he’s looking for you…  
Alex (7:13): I’m going to make it my business. Seriously Lou, I know you like him because I’m not a clueless idiot like Liam...It’s New Year’s Eve. Come and get your boy already.  
Alex (7:17): I’m going to be really disappointed if the reason you haven’t written back yet is anything other than you already being on your way here.  
Alex (7:21): Ps. You’re welcome!!!!!!!!!!

“What is it?” Lottie’s concerned voice snaps Louis back to reality, “is everything okay?”

“I need to cancel my plans with Liam and Niall.” is what he answers her with.

“What? Why?” She squeaks, hands paused over his hair and eyes wide.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Everything is fine” he tries reassuring her patting at her shoulders in a soothing gesture.

“Oh!” she breathes out knowingly, “It’s about a boy, isn’t it.” 

As nervous as he is right now, he can’t keep the smile off of his face when he answers Lottie seriously, “It’s about a boy.”

Louis knows that this admission is going to go straight to his mother as soon as he’s out of ear shot, but he can’t seem to care about meddling younger sisters at the moment, because after Lottie squeals, claps and does a little dance of excitement, she takes a step back, looks Louis up and down and says, “No offense, but those jeans do nothing for your ass. Go get changed immediately and I’ll make sure your hair looks amazing!”

He’s already unzipping his jeans and running out the bathroom door when he yells over his shoulder, “Love you Lots, thank you!”

\-----

Surprisingly, Lottie and his mother allowed him to leave the house with very minimal questioning.

Unsurprisingly, Niall and Liam are a little harder to shake.

“What the fuck do you mean you aren’t going to make it tonight!?” Niall’s voice yelled through the receiver. 

Louis isn’t too bothered by Niall’s yelling considering it’s just what he sounds like when he’s been drinking...however, since Louis is currently on the phone with Liam, he knows that Niall’s at least a little irritated by Louis blowing them off. 

“Jesus!” Liam shouts at Niall (graciously away from the receiver).

“Listen, I know you guys want answers and I will give them to you, just not tonight.” Louis rushes as he throws his car into park and gets ready to make his way into the lobby of the West building. Alex is expecting him. 

“What do you mean not ton…” Louis doesn’t even give Liam the opportunity to finish the sentence. He’s pretty confident they’ll forgive him.

When his phone starts ringing again not thirty seconds later he declines the call without looking at the screen (bets on Niall) and opts to shut the device down. He’s too jittery and anxious to think about anything else right now anyway.  
Alex is waiting in the lobby to let Louis in when he gets to the door. 

“Liam just called the desk asking for you.” Alex says with a knowing smirk, “He thinks you’re a workaholic.” 

Louis groans and rolls his eyes, walking back to the desk so Alex can sit back down to monitor the screens, “What did you tell him?” he asks rubbing his chin nervously.

“That you weren’t here.” Alex says, “Wasn’t a lie at the time...and I figure you’re not talking about it for a reason.”

Louis nods, “Nothing to talk about yet.”

“Got ya.” Alex shuffles a few papers and moves the computer mouse around absently before he looks back up at Louis expectantly, “Don’t know what you’re doing staring at me still, go get ’em.” 

Louis waves over his shoulder as Alex continues to shoo him away until he’s out of sight. Once he's in the elevator he takes a deep breath and presses the button for the twentieth floor. 

\-----

In the last month the twenty-eighth floor of the West Building has become almost as familiar to Louis as his own building. But tonight as he quietly makes his way toward the light flooding out of Harry’s open door, like a moth to a flame. It feels like the nervous excitement that had been fluttering in his stomach just minutes before has fermented into something heavy which is slowly but surely lodging itself in the back of his throat. 

He takes a few deep, calming breaths just before he reaches the doorway knocking before taking a tentative step inside.

Harry’s already looking at Louis, his lovely mixture of surprise and happiness as it breaks into a wide smile, “What are you doing here tonight!?” 

“I should be asking you the same thing.” Louis responds, popping his hip against Harry’s door and crossing his arms over his chest in mock exasperation.

It’s only then that Harry seems to realize that Louis isn’t in his usual security uniform, as Louis watches his eyes dart up and down his frame only to get stuck briefly on the curve of his ass.

Louis watches as Harry catches himself and shakes his head a little as though to clear it.

“Are you not working tonight?” Harry asks confusedly.

“I’m not, and as of…” Louis pauses dramatically to took at the watch on his wrist, “right now, neither are you.” 

Harry looks amused when he responds, “It sure feels like I’m working tonight.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong Harold.” Louis says with a flourish of his hand as he moved toward Harry’s desk in the middle of the room. “You were working tonight, but I’ve decided the night is young and so are we.”

Harry lets out a loud squawking laugh before blushing brilliantly and attempting to school his face back into some semblance of seriousness. Louis can tell that he’s already on board so he continues.

“I’m giving you two whole minutes to finish up what you’re working on before I come over there, close your laptop and drive you to your apartment so you can change out of that suit and into something worthy of ringing in 2018 with the likes of me.” 

By the time Louis’ finished with his little speech, Harry’s already stowing his laptop in his brief case. He walks briskly past Louis, flipping off the light as he walks out the door, looking over his shoulder at the last minute to raise an eyebrow and ask, “you comin’ or what?” 

If Louis’ being real honest, he’s already gone. 

\-----

Louis feels a bit like he’s floating as he and Harry banter lightly back and forth while catching up on their respective holidays.

“Oh that reminds me!” Louis exclaims are he scrambles for his phone once they’re both in his car. “I need your phone number.” 

“I thought you’d never ask,” Harry joked, “I was actually kicking myself for not leaving it for you in the note before I left.” He adds before rattling off the digits for Louis to add to his contact.

All the while Louis chooses to ignore the sixty-four text messages he’s received from Niall, Liam, Lottie, and his mother. Instead he decides to make be better at responding to his texts a resolution for the new year. Until then they’ll have to find it in their hearts to forgive him. He has a beautiful man in his front seat and the last few hours of 2017 to woo him.

The streets are crowded as people hurry about making their way to their final destinations before the ball drops. It’s freezing cold out, though thankfully not a snowflake in sight as Harry directs Louis to his apartment. 

He feels a bit like a teenager every time he and Harry make eye contact, laughing and blushing and smiling at one another in between the glow of the streetlights.

“Okay,” Harry says sitting up a little straighter and gesturing as they approach the next set of traffic lights. “At this light you’re going to take a left and my building is the first on the right. Should be plenty of parking tonight since everyone will be out.”

Louis nods his understanding as he maneuvers his car through the intersections. Only now allowing himself to feel a bit of the initial anxiety trickle back into his veins. He has Harry with him, he’s about to go into Harry’s apartment so Harry can change and they can go out for the night...and it’s only just occurring to him that he’d been so focused on getting Harry to go out with him that he didn’t actually have a plan in place after that.

“Here we are!” Harry says, blissfully unaware of the internal meltdown Louis is about to have as he pulls into one of the empty parking spots and cuts the engine.

Louis steels himself for a moment as Harry extracts himself from the passenger seat. He’ll think of something brilliant on the fly.

He follows Harry into the building, it’s about five stories tall and looks like most of the other apartment buildings in the area. Though he has to admit it’s a nice surprise when Harry opens the door the lobby doesn’t reek of piss and cigarettes, but rather is decorated with greenery and little twinkle lights for the holidays. 

“This is nice.” Louis murmurs as he and Harry into the elevator.

“Yeah, thanks...New York can be pretty touch and go, I know, but the rent is affordable, the neighbors are as nice as you can expect and the building is clean.” Harry smiles and shrugs as he hits the button for the fourth floor. 

The ride up is quiet, and there’s some kind of tension between them. Louis can’t figure out if it’s sexual or if he’s reading too much into his nerves as he follows Harry to his apartment door and waits patiently while he unlocks it.

When Harry pushes the door open he gestures for Louis to step inside first, the space is dark with the exception of the little bit of light the windows let in until Harry flips on a table lamp by the couch after closing the door behind him. It’s exactly what Louis expected. The space is small but tidy, nicely decorated and smells a bit like cinnamon (likely due to one of the many candles placed about).  
“Home sweet home.” Harry shrugs shyly, and oh thank God he seems nervous too. 

“It’s lovely.” Louis replies as he makes his way over to a table behind Harry’s couch to examine some of the framed photos. 

“Make yourself comfortable,” Harry says with a laugh as he moves past Louis, “I’m going to change and then we can head out.”

“Take your time,” Louis calls over his shoulder as he lifts one of the frames up.The image of a much younger Harry with a head full of wild curls and a big openmouthed smile alongside two women who Louis presumes to be his mother and sister Gemma.

“You never told me you have curly hair!” Louis shouts in the direction Harry had disappeared to. He can hear Harry start laughing from the other room.

“Sorry! Didn’t realize it was a hot topic.” Harry’s voice answers from behind a door.

Louis continues to move through Harry’s living area, picking up and examining a few more photographs before moving on to look at some of the framed artwork. It’s only as he’s picking up one of the candles to give it a sniff that he notices an acoustic guitar resting in the corner of the room. An image of him snuggled up on the couch with Harry while Harry strums the guitar snaps him out of his reverie.

He’s where Harry fucking lives. He’s standing inside Harry’s home, about to take Harry out for the first time ever. He doesn’t even have a plan...he’s literally about to sniff a fucking candle and he doesn’t even have a plan to properly woo the man he’s been pining after for months, and it’s New Year Fucking Eve!

“Get your shit together, Louis!” he hisses quietly to himself as he pulls his cell phone from his back pocket and opens up his messages.

Louis (9:37): SOS!!!!!!!!!  
Lottie (9:37): ?????!!!!!!!!!  
Louis (9:37): I’m with the man of my dreams and I didn’t even plan where I’m going to take him! What do I do???  
Lottie (9:38): You’re an idiot! I thought you were dying!  
Lottie (9:38): Where are you now???  
Louis (9:38): His place!  
Lottie (9:38): You are such a HOE!  
Louis (9:39): FUCK OFF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!! WHAT DO I DO????

Louis waits impatiently watching the bubble indicating that his sister typing a response when he hears a door open, followed by an excited, “All set!”  
Only when Louis looks up at Harry his mouth drops open and his phone drops to the ground with a thud. Louis doesn’t even try to pick it up, doesn’t even care if it’s broke for that matter. 

Fuck the phone, fuck Lottie for not texting faster and fuck him because Harry Styles is going to be the actual death of him and if he has any say in at all will be fucking him also. Preferably now. 

“Lou,” Harry starts and he looks concerned as he moves toward him, “you dropped your phone...are you okay?”

Is he okay...that’s a loaded question. Because Harry, James Dean, Daydream Harry, is standing in front of him looking all concerned and beautiful. With a pair of painted on black skinnies that give the ones Louis has on a run for their money, paired with a gorgeous velvet sports jacket in a deep maroon that compliments the green of his eyes so perfectly he can see the color from across the room. He looks gorgeous, but it’s the silky black button down that Harry has on underneath the open jacket that has Louis utterly tongue tied, because just beneath the sheer fabric Louis can see the dark outlines of tattoos littered across Harry’s torso as well as the pebbled peaks of Harry’s nipples. 

And yeah, Louis’ not okay. In fact, he’s going to die if he doesn’t get his hands on Harry soon. 

“Louis?” There’s an urgency in Harry’s voice that startles Louis, looking back up into Harry’s eyes only to realize he’s just been standing there staring for God only knows how long. He shakes his head a little when he hears his phone beep with a text and bends down quickly to pick it up.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m good!” Louis says glancing quickly as his screen to make sure it’s not cracked. There are messages from Lottie but for the second time that night he can’t be bothered to check his messages. 

“You ready to go?” Harry’s still looking at Louis with thinly veiled concern.

“No.” It’s out before Louis even has a chance to think.

“No?” Harry asks with an uneasy laugh, “are you okay?” he asks again. 

And okay, Louis needs to pull himself together. 

“I’m sorry!” he exclaims, “I am ready to go,” he continues, shaking his head again to clear the fog of desire that’s overwhelming his senses and moving forward to close some of the space between he and Harry. “What I meant was I don’t exactly have a plan for us...yet…” he finished lamely.

Harry starts laughing then, and it’s the loud, genuine laugh that bubbles out of him. It’s the laugh that Louis teased him for mercilessly the first time he heard it, but hasn’t been able to get it out of his head since. 

“I know, I know!” Louis groans in embarrassment, “I just missed you so much while you were away. I’m sorry if that sounds crazy!” He covers his hot face with both hands as he continues, “But when Alex texted me to say you were working tonight, the only thing on my mind was getting to you and for you to agree to come out with me. I was just panic texting my sister for ideas when you came out.”

It’s completely silent when Louis finishes with his little outburst. So quiet that he’s afraid to move. He barely has a second to think about it before Harry’s in his space, chest pressed against Louis’ and hands ghosting up his sides before he gently pries Louis’ hands from his face. 

Harry’s looking at him with an intensity that makes Louis’ skin buzz, unblinking and searching as he uses one hand to cup the side of Louis’ face. Softly running his thumb across Louis’ bottom lip while he laces their fingers together with his other hand. 

“If it makes you feel any better,” Harry breaths softly into the air between them, “I don’t want to go out either.”

The words have barely left Harry’s mouth, haven’t even had the chance to register in Louis’ brain and they’re kissing. Harry’s plush lips insistent against his own, and once Louis’ brain registers that this is actually happening, he’s able to answer the question that Harry’s mouth is asking. 

Yes. 

Louis must have said it out loud because Harry starts laughing again, pulling back just enough that their noses are still touching and their eyes would cross if they tried to look at each other.

“For what it’s worth,” he whispers with a chuckle, “I’ve been trying to think of ways to ask you out since the first time I met you.”

Now it’s Louis’ turn, to press himself up onto his toes and draw Harry’s mouth onto his again, it already feels so right, like their mouths and every other part of them that’s touching belongs together. He’s lacing the fingers of his free hand into the back of Harry’s hair about to deepening the kiss when Harry draws back again. 

Harry shushes him good naturedly in response to the sound of disapproval Louis makes. 

“What are your thoughts on not going out tonight?” Harry asks, taking half a step back so he can actually look at Louis’ face.

Louis takes a moment to collect himself, “I think..” he starts and then hesitates, this moment feels fragile, “that as long as it’s somewhere I can kiss you, I don’t care where we are.”

Harry gives a decisive nod and then his face is transforming into a delicious smirk. In an instant he’s grabbing Louis by the shoulders and pulling him into another crushing kiss guiding him backwards and into his bedroom before lifting him up and tossing him unceremoniously onto his bed.

Louis lets out a little shriek as he bounces back on the mattress and then Harry’s on him again covering Louis’ body from head to toe. Lips moving together, alternating from small insistent pecks to deeper longer presses until Harry bites Louis’ bottom lip and licks into his mouth.

That’s pretty much the beginning of the end.

Louis opens up for him without hesitation, loving the way that every part of their body seems to know exactly how to move together. He gets his arms out from under Harry’s body so he can get his fingers back in Harry’s hair. 

Louis doesn’t know how long they kiss, can’t remember the last time he just laid in someone’s bed making out. He loves it. It’s the first time he’s gotten to kiss Harry yet somehow it feels like he’s been missing this. Like they’re just finding each other again, and Louis knows if he ever said the words out loud he would sound crazy. It must be due to the lack of blood flowing to his brain since decidedly all of it has migrated south. 

It’s like as soon as Louis gives thought to the state of his dick he’s loses any last bit of control he’s had. Grinding his hips up in desperate search for any kind of friction and Harry’s right there, quick to slide his hands under Louis’ ass. Squeezing his cheeks and pulling them up again so Harry can rub his own hardness against Louis.

Louis is throbbing in his pants, needs to feel his skin on Harry’s straightaway. 

“Off, off, off,” he starts chanting into Harry’s mouth, trying not to break the kiss as he attempts to pull the jacket off of Harry’s shoulders. 

Having to pull apart briefly to get Harry unstuck from said jacket a moment later isn’t ideal but has them laughing as they strip each other unceremoniously. 

“You’re so fun,” Harry groans into Louis’ mouth as he uses the lube he’d grabbed from a drawer on the bedside, to slick up both of their cocks in his hand, “everything feels so good with you…”

Louis’ lost the ability to speak, both of them up on their knees with their heads, and sometimes their lips pressed together. Looking down between their bodies as Harry works his hand rhythmically to get them both off. 

Louis’s close, wants to close his eyes and allow himself to fall over the edge but alternatively needs to have this image etched in his brain for eternity. He’s grateful that Harry seems close too, can see it in the bunching of his abdominal muscles, the slight tremors in his thighs and arms, the furrow of his brow and the indent in his lip where his teeth are digging in.

He looks like a dream, but a dream could never feel this good. 

They fall apart like that, Harry first, mouth falling open with a silent shout as he shoots off onto Louis’ stomach, his own hand and Louis’ cock. Louis crushes their lips together, there’s no finesse, as he holds Harry through it, the feeling of Harry’s come adding to the slickness between them is what finally pushes him over the edge. He closes his eyes and as his orgasm rips through him, he clings to Harry, Harry's hand steadily working him through it until they crumble to the bed in a sticky, panting heap.

\-----

“We can make it!” Harry’s calling over his shoulder urgently as he and Louis’ rush down the street. It’s absolutely freezing out but neither of them care.

After they’d cleaned up and pulled themselves back together at Harry’s place they’d decided they did want to try to go out. It is their first New Years together after all. When they checked the time they were surprised to see that they still had just enough time to go somewhere to watch the ball drop, and Louis knew the perfect place. 

The last time Louis looked at the display on his phone the time had read 11:52...seven minutes until the ball drops in Times Square.

“Hurry!” Harry yelps doing a little dance as he waits anxiously for Louis to enter his access code. It takes a few tries due to shaking hands before Louis hears the buzz and feels the door unlock. Quickly ushering Harry past him and into the empty lobby, making sure that the door secures behind him before rushing after Harry toward the elevator bank.

11:56. Louis and Harry take turns hitting all of the ‘UP’ buttons, ready to leap into whichever door bings open first. It happens to be the one that Louis is standing in front of, allowing Harry to toss him in before hitting the button for the very top floor then crowding Louis into the corner and kissing him silly. Louis can’t tell if the feeling in his stomach is from the quick ascend or the butterflies. He thinks probably a bit of both as he smiles into Harry’s mouth until they stop moving and the door opens. 

Louis doesn’t look at his watch, he knows they’re cutting it close as he grabs Harry’s wrist and pulls him along at a run until they reach the door labeled ‘Roof Access’, then it’s a small stairwell and one final door before the sharp bitter air is hitting them again.

There’s a shout of, “Hey! About time you showed up!” as Louis laces his and Harry’s fingers together. Making their way over to the small group made up of Liam, Niall, Zayn, Alex and a few other faces Louis doesn’t recognize. All gathered around to watch as the city around them counts down to the New Year. 

They’ll have to wait for formal introductions. 

“Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four…”

It’s a bitter cold night in the city that never sleeps, and Louis is wrapped in Harry’s arms watching the Ball in Times Square descend from a few blocks away.

“...Three, Two, One!”

Louis can hear the cheering of the crowd as he wraps his arms around Harry’s neck. It’s not their first kiss of the night, but it’s the only kiss he’d been hoping to get when the night had begun.

Who knew a beginning could taste so sweet.

Here’s to 2018!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated! Hope you enjoyed :)


End file.
